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These Air Fryer Chicken Legs are crispy out the outside with tender, juicy meat in under 30 minutes. Seasoned simply and cooked in the air fryer, they’re an easy, family-friendly dinner that pairs perfectly with your favorite sides.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs are one of the easiest ways to get a crispy, flavorful chicken dinner without turning on the oven. The air fryer does all the work, giving you golden, crispy skin on the outside while keeping the meat juicy and tender on the inside.
You can keep the seasoning simple, spice them up, or change the flavors depending on what you’re serving them with. Whether you’re cooking for picky eaters or feeding a hungry crowd, these Air Fryer Chicken Legs are a reliable, no-fuss dinner you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients Needed
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Chicken Drumsticks
- Oil
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Paprika
- Chili Powder
This spice combination works great for serving with barbecue sauce. It is a basic quick Dry Rub. But if you have a favorite spice blend, you can absolutely use it here.
How To Cook Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Prep Chicken. Use a paper towel to pat dry your chicken. Add the chicken to a large food storage bag, add the oil and all of the spices. Seal the bag and toss well to coat evenly.
- Preheat. Preheat the air fryer to 400º F.
- Cook. Arrange chicken legs in a single layer in your air fryer basket. And cook for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve. Remove from the basket and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Start with dry chicken. The oil helps the spices stick and get the skin crispy. If the chicken is damp it won’t stick well and won’t get as crispy as it should. So don’t skip the step of using a paper towel to dry the chicken.
- Do not stack chicken legs in the air fryer. Figure out how many fit ahead of time, and cook in batches if necessary. But you need them in a single layer so the air can circulate and they will cook evenly.
- Cook the chicken to 165º F, that is how you know it is done. Every air fryer is a little different, so a total of 20 minutes in one air fryer might not be quite enough in a different brand.
- Preheat your air fryer. There are a lot of recipes I skip this for, but with chicken legs, they are thick enough I think it makes a difference. It only takes 5 minutes to preheat, so while you measure the spices and get the chicken ready have your air fryer preheating.
- Vary your spices. You can mix up the flavors of this recipe to make it many different ways! Use your favorite spice blend, mix in dried herbs, add lemon juice or garlic. Lots of different ways to make it different every time!
Storage
If you have leftover chicken you can store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the air fryer or the microwave until it is warmed thru. Cold chicken is always a good idea as well, so feel free to enjoy straight from the fridge.
What To Serve With Chicken Legs
To make this recipe I used a Cosori 5.8 Qt Air Fryer. It is big enough that you can fit plenty of food in, and the basket comes out so you can easily shake, stir, or flip whatever you are making.
More Air Fryer Recipes To Try
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Cookies
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400º F.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to make sure the coating sticks well.8 chicken drumsticks
- In a large plastic food storage bag or a bowl toss together chicken legs with the oil and all of the spices until they everything is well coated.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Arrange chicken legs in a single layer in the base of the air fryer.
- Cook for 10 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165º F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These always come out so juicy and tender in the air fryer!
I love how juicy and delicious these are!! SO GOOD!!
I can’t wait to try these!! They look incredibly delicious!! YUM!
Made these for lunch and they turned out amazing! Excited to make these again! Definitely a big hit here!
These came out so perfect! Love how easy they are in the air fryer!
I really love how juicy these are on the inside and that nice, crispy skin that they get on the outside because of the air fryer. Very good recipe!
Perfect use of my air fryer. I will be making chicken legs again like this!
I can’t resist these chicken legs! It’s even better that they are made in the Air Fryer!
This is such a huge hit at my house!! Really a must-try especially for dinner!